1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for bonding diamond particles to the surface of a metal workpiece.
2. The Prior Art
The hardness and abrasive qualities of diamonds are well known, particularly those of synthetically produced polycrystalline diamond particles. Polycrystalline diamond particles are of particular interest because of their greatly increased number of sharp points or cutting edges and lack of fracture planes.
Sharpening devices have been prepared from natural diamond particles by bonding these particles together in the form of a sharpening stone using a ceramic or polymeric matrix to bond the diamond into a unitary structure. However, this process consumes an excessive amount of diamond particles. A ceramic structure is also more susceptible to fracture.
Accordingly, abrasive devices have been prepared by bonding diamond particles to the surface of a metal workpiece in an electrolytic plating bath. Workpieces produced according to this latter process have conventionally evidenced an inherent weakness in that the diamond particles tend to be pulled from the metal workpiece by abrasive action during use of the workpiece.
It would, therefore, be an improvement in the art to provide a process for securely bonding diamond particles to the surface of a metal workpiece so as to present a unitary, high bond strength surface which is less subject to wear and fracture and wherein the diamond particles are uniformly and densely bonded. Such an invention is disclosed herein.